1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the construction of furniture such as desks, tables, credenzas and the like and, more particularly, to office furniture having a wire management system capable of routing and concealing various wires and cables associated with electrical equipment supported on a furniture work surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increasingly, office furniture has been designed to support electrically operated equipment of various types such as telephones, typewriters, computer terminals, facsimile machines, calculators and the like as the office environment has become more automated. Such devices invariably have electrical cords, cables, and wires associated therewith which typically connect to receptacles provided in an adjacent wall or modular panel assembly. Unless provisions are made to efficiently route the wires or the like interiorly of the furniture component structure, a cluttered and inefficient work environment will result which also detracts significantly form the aesthetic appearance of the furniture and work space.
Various wire management systems have been proposed including, for example, access openings to vertical panels of the furniture and in the work surface. Also proposed are elongated wiring channels or troughs which run the length or width of the furniture and within which the wires and the like can be routed. Examples of wire management systems for office furniture are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,535,703, 5,144,896 and 5,451,101.
While current forms of wire management systems improve the efficiency of routing and concealing electrical cords, cable and the like, it is desirable to provide yet an improved system which is convenient to install, even on existing furniture, which is highly functional and convenient in terms of routing the wires and which is cost-effective to produce.
The present invention improves over the prior art by providing a wire management device for routing wires and cables underneath a work surface including a plurality of body members having arms extending therefrom, the distal ends of which are slidingly connected to a flexible skirt. The body members and arms are configured to support the skirt such that a free edge of the skirt is in close proximity with a bottom surface of the work surface. Cables or wires may be inserted into the device by deflecting the flexible skirt whereupon the cables or wires can be supported underneath the work surface on the arms and routed to any desired location. The device thus allows for convenience wire routing and is particularly effective in permitting reconfiguration of furniture components.